- Who was Joseph Stalin? - The Rise to Power - Stalin's "Terror"
Who was Joseph Stalin?
"One of the most powerful and murderous dicators in history, Stalin was the supreme ruler of the Soviet Union for a quarter of a century. His regime of terror caused the death and suffering of tens of millions, but he also oversaw the war machine that played a key role in the defeat of Nazism."
Lenin died in 1924. Everyone thought Trotsky, the brilliant leader of the Red Army would become leader- especially as Lenin left a Testament (will) saying that Stalin was dangerous and should be dismissed. But it was Stalin who took power.
-Secretary:
Stalin was made General Secretary of the Communist Party in 1922. Everybody thought it was a dull, unimportant job. Stalin used it to get his supporters into important positions.
-Trotsky was unpopular:
Trotsky was brilliant, but nobody liked him: they thought he was too big-headed. Secretary Stalin told him the wrong date for Lenin's funeral, so he missed it - this made him more unpopular. Trotsky also wanted to try to cause a world revolution; many Russians feared that this would ruin Russia.
-Politically Ruthless:
The Polituburo was divided into two halves. The Leftists (Zinoviev and Kamenev) wanted world revolution, and to abolish the NEP, but they hated Trotsky because they thought he was too ambitious. The Rightists (Burkharin, Rykov, and Tomsky) wanted to continue the NEP until the USSR was stronger.
-Stalin played one side against the other to take power:
First, he allied with Zinoviev and Kamenev to cover up Lenin’s Will and to get Trotsky dismissed (1925). Trotsky went into exile (1928). Then, he advocated ‘Socialism in one country’ (he said that the USSR should first become strong, then try to bring world revolution) and allied with the Rightists to get Zinoviev and Kamenev dismissed (1927). Stalin put his supporters into the Politburo. Finally, he argued that the NEP was uncommunist, and got Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky dismissed (1929).
Stalin believed that Russia had to be united - with him as leader - if it was to be strong.
Urgency:
Stalin believed Russia had 10 years to catch up with the western world before Germany invaded.
Paranoia:
Stalin became increasingly paranoid (seeing plots everywhere) and power-mad (he demanded continuous praise and applause). In 1935, his wife killed herself.
Stalin Takes Total Control
Secret Police:
The CHEKA became the OGPU (1922), then the NKVD (1934).
The First Purges, 1930-33:
Including anybody who opposed industrialization, and the kulaks who opposed collectivisation.
The Great Purges, 1934–39:
-Political Opponents 1934: Kirov, a rival to Stalin, was murdered. Although he probably ordered the assassination, Stalin used it as a chance to arrest thousands of his opponents. 1934–1939: Stalin’s political opponents were put on ‘Show trials’, where they pleaded guilty to impossible charges of treason (e.g. Zinoviev and Kamenev 1936/ Bukharin, Tomsky & Rykov 1938). -The Army In 1937, the Commander-in-Chief of the Red Army and 7 leading generals were shot. In 1938–39, all the admirals and half the Army’s officers were executed or imprisoned. -The Church Religious leaders imprisoned; churches closed down. -Ethnic Groups Stalin enforced ‘Russification’ of all the Soviet Union. -Ordinary People Were denounced/ arrested/ sent to the Gulag (the system of labour camps). 20 million Russians were sent to the camps, where perhaps half of them died. People lived in fear. ‘Apparatchiks’ (party members loyal to Stalin) got all the new flats, jobs, holidays etc.
Cult of Stalin:
Censorship of anything that might reflect badly on Stalin, Propaganda everywhere - pictures, statues, continuous praise and applause. Places named after him. Mothers taught their children that Stalin was the 'wisest man of the age'. History books and photographs were changed to make him the hero of the Revolution, and obliterate the names of purged people (e.g. Trotsky).
Results of the Terror
Russification - Russia came to dominate the whole USSR Twenty people arrested – perhaps half died Orthodox Church attacked Terror – People lived in fear of the Secret Police Industry– grew (the Terror provided free slave labour), but technology and science were held back by loss of top engineers and scientists. Stalin Cult Gulag Army and navy weakened by purges of leading officers Purges – political opponents eliminated
Main Points:
- Who was Joseph Stalin?- The Rise to Power
- Stalin's "Terror"
Who was Joseph Stalin?
"One of the most powerful and murderous dicators in history, Stalin was the supreme ruler of the Soviet Union for a quarter of a century. His regime of terror caused the death and suffering of tens of millions, but he also oversaw the war machine that played a key role in the defeat of Nazism."Source: BBC Hisotry- Historic Figures
Read More: Joseph Stalin (1879-1953)
Stalin Takes Power
Lenin died in 1924. Everyone thought Trotsky, the brilliant leader of the Red Army would become leader- especially as Lenin left a Testament (will) saying that Stalin was dangerous and should be dismissed.But it was Stalin who took power.
-Secretary:
Stalin was made General Secretary of the Communist Party in 1922. Everybody thought it was a dull, unimportant job. Stalin used it to get his supporters into important positions.-Trotsky was unpopular:
Trotsky was brilliant, but nobody liked him: they thought he was too big-headed. Secretary Stalin told him the wrong date for Lenin's funeral, so he missed it - this made him more unpopular. Trotsky also wanted to try to cause a world revolution; many Russians feared that this would ruin Russia.-Politically Ruthless:
The Polituburo was divided into two halves. The Leftists (Zinoviev and Kamenev) wanted world revolution, and to abolish the NEP, but they hated Trotsky because they thought he was too ambitious. The Rightists (Burkharin, Rykov, and Tomsky) wanted to continue the NEP until the USSR was stronger.-Stalin played one side against the other to take power:
First, he allied with Zinoviev and Kamenev to cover up Lenin’s Will and to get Trotsky dismissed (1925). Trotsky went into exile (1928).Then, he advocated ‘Socialism in one country’ (he said that the USSR should first become strong, then try to bring world revolution) and allied with the Rightists to get Zinoviev and Kamenev dismissed (1927). Stalin put his supporters into the Politburo.
Finally, he argued that the NEP was uncommunist, and got Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky dismissed (1929).
Source: johndclare.net
Stalin's Terror
Reasons for the Terror
Whole Country:
Stalin believed that Russia had to be united - with him as leader - if it was to be strong.Urgency:
Stalin believed Russia had 10 years to catch up with the western world before Germany invaded.Paranoia:
Stalin became increasingly paranoid (seeing plots everywhere) and power-mad (he demanded continuous praise and applause). In 1935, his wife killed herself.Stalin Takes Total Control
Secret Police:
The CHEKA became the OGPU (1922), then the NKVD (1934).The First Purges, 1930-33:
Including anybody who opposed industrialization, and the kulaks who opposed collectivisation.The Great Purges, 1934–39:
-Political Opponents1934: Kirov, a rival to Stalin, was murdered. Although he probably ordered the assassination, Stalin used it as a chance to arrest thousands of his opponents.
1934–1939: Stalin’s political opponents were put on ‘Show trials’, where they pleaded guilty to impossible charges of treason (e.g. Zinoviev and Kamenev 1936/ Bukharin, Tomsky & Rykov 1938).
-The Army
In 1937, the Commander-in-Chief of the Red Army and 7 leading generals were shot. In 1938–39, all the admirals and half the Army’s officers were executed or imprisoned.
-The Church
Religious leaders imprisoned; churches closed down.
-Ethnic Groups
Stalin enforced ‘Russification’ of all the Soviet Union.
-Ordinary People
Were denounced/ arrested/ sent to the Gulag (the system of labour camps). 20 million Russians were sent to the camps, where perhaps half of them died. People lived in fear. ‘Apparatchiks’ (party members loyal to Stalin) got all the new flats, jobs, holidays etc.
Cult of Stalin:
Censorship of anything that might reflect badly on Stalin,Propaganda everywhere - pictures, statues, continuous praise and applause.
Places named after him.
Mothers taught their children that Stalin was the 'wisest man of the age'.
History books and photographs were changed to make him the hero of the Revolution, and obliterate the names of purged people (e.g. Trotsky).
Results of the Terror
Russification - Russia came to dominate the whole USSRTwenty people arrested – perhaps half died
Orthodox Church attacked
Terror – People lived in fear of the Secret Police
Industry– grew (the Terror provided free slave labour), but technology and science were held back by loss of top engineers and scientists.
Stalin Cult
Gulag
Army and navy weakened by purges of leading officers
Purges – political opponents eliminated
Source: johndclare.net
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